Regional Workforce Analysis to Help Illinois Colleges Better Match Employer Needs

WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility partnered with the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) to conduct an intensive regional workforce, economic, and community analysis of the Quad Cities region. The state plans to use this approach in 10 additional regions across Illinois.

The Challenge

As Illinois communities change, colleges need to keep up by offering programs that match what regional employers are looking for and what learners need to succeed. The Quad Cities region in northwest Illinois wanted to understand

  • what jobs are growing in their area,
  • whether their education and training programs are preparing people for these jobs, and
  • how to create better pathways from education to employment.

How We’re Taking Action

The IBHE hired WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility to conduct a regional workforce strategic analysis. The Center examined the following:

  • emerging trends in regional labor market and economic conditions
  • enrollment patterns in K–12, 2-year institutions, 4-year institutions, and workforce training systems
  • completion rates of education and training programs and whether K–12, technical, and adult education learners continued on to higher education
  • regional demographic patterns related to the distribution of poverty, educational attainment, and persistent barriers to educational success
  • community, practitioner, and employer perspectives gathered through interviews, focus groups, and surveys

We leveraged this information to develop recommendations for aligning Quad City’s regional education and industry ecosystems and strengthening areas such as work-based learning and regional sector partnerships.

The impact of this work extends beyond the immediate region. Using the tools that the Center developed to conduct the Quad Cities analysis, IBHE can now replicate this analysis in other regions, ensuring consistent data-driven decision-making for workforce development initiatives. This systems-based approach has positioned Illinois to make strategic investments in education and training programs that directly respond to employer needs while creating meaningful career pathways for residents. The framework developed through this project also serves as a model for other states seeking to align their education and workforce systems with regional economic development goals.

Resources

This analysis will be instrumental in carrying out important, strategic work that will accelerate access to meaningful and life-changing careers for Illinoisans in the Quad Cities region. We are energized to continue working with our education and workforce partners in the region to foster a thriving and sustainable economy for its residents.

Ginger Ostro Executive Director, IBHE

What Makes Us Different

Examining the full talent pipeline – We don’t just look at individual education and training providers—we analyze how education and workforce systems work together and identify gaps and alignment opportunities across all educational pathways.

Blueprint methodology for scalability – We develop replicable frameworks and processes that can be systematically applied across multiple regions, allowing state agencies to conduct consistent analyses statewide.

Community-centered engagement approach – We combine quantitative labor market data with community engagement through interviews, focus groups, and surveys to capture both economic trends and local stakeholder perspectives.